Ipswich Wanderers Reserves 3 v. Needham Market Reserves 3

Ridgeons Reserve League (North)

Saturday 25th April 2006

With this being the final day of the reserves season, lots was expected on a warm sunny Suffolk afternoon.  It was a game that both sides wanted to win to end the season on a high note and make reflection on the first year in the new Ridgeon’s Reserve League a positive one to remember.

There were several changes to the Wanderers line up with Blaine Burgess and Jorrell Hurd missing and Neil Hayward having to play in goal due to Robbie Stannard’s call up to the first team.  These changes gave John McRoberts the opportunity to impress on the wing and coach Angelo Hodge an end of season run out in the middle of the park alongside Mark Francis.  Unfortunately the youthful Goffers after his exploits last week only named himself as a substitute.

The game started with both sides looking to gain a foothold in the match, too many Wanderers passes however found the head of the Needham centre half who must have been all of about 7ft tall and was getting heading practice for fun.  It seemed that the final pass was missing or the ball was being held on too long which resulted in promising moves being broken down before they reached the opposing penalty areas.

The trend was bucked however when, after a ball was cleared from the Wanderers box, the Needham forward hit a sublime shot over Neil Hayward in the Wanderers goal to give the visiting team the lead which they didn’t really deserve on the balance of play.

Wanderers continued to press for the equalizer, on two occasions Matt Wilson had headers just wide from good corners that maybe on another day would have found the net.  Matt Wilson wasn’t to be denied though as he was there to finish off good work by Angelo Hodge who, after 2 attempts at shooting (which the dugout thought were back passes!!), the ball fell to Matt Wilson who struck the ball home to earn Wanderers a deserved equalizer. 

The half played out to some heated scenes, earlier a clash between the Needham number 9 and Ricky Ward had earned both a booking, the Needham player received his second of the match for a pushing incident on the same player that gave the referee no option but to send him off for an early bath. 

Wanderers went in level and the opposing side down to 10 men which made the team talk at half time more upbeat and a sense that the game was there for the taking in the second half.

Ipswich Wanderers Reserves 1 Needham Market Reserves 1

At half time two changes were made, Gavin Roberts coming on for Ricky Ward in the heart of the defence and Ryan Owens for Matt Wilson, who unfortunately had picked up a knock just before half time, resulting in Adam Potter dropping into the midfield to play wide right with John McRoberts swapping wings to play up the left.

Wanderers were looking to force home the extra man advantage, Angelo Hodge nearly finding Ryan Owens for a run on goal that unfortunately the lanky centre half just got his legs too to send the ball out for a Wanderers corner.  From the resulting corner Ryan Owens somehow managed to get his head to the ball and send it over the line to give Wanderers the lead.

There were further chances to increase the lead, Ryan Owens missed a sitter of a header from a great cross from Angelo Hodge, and Dave Kenyon was unlucky when the ball was fizzed across the box that he just failed to get the right touch on.

As in previous games these missed chances proved costly as Needham rallied and managed to nick an equalizer shortly after to square the game again. Wanderers were trying to play wide to break the Needham team down but all credit to Needham as after the game it was remarked that you couldn’t really tell it was 11 against 10, as they grouped together to make this difficult for the Wanderers players.

The lead was rightly restored when a through ball found Dave Kenyon who took on the last defender and then the goalkeeper to put Wanderers back into the lead 3-2.  Other chances followed at both ends, Rick Probert, replacing John McRoberts, was unlucky with a shot over the bar, Dave Kenyon too, with a shot that narrowly missed the goal due to the tight angle and Ryan Owens, set up by a neat touch from Dave Kenyon, tried to lob the keeper that only narrowly missed the top corner of the Needham goal.

Up the other end, Neil the ‘CAT’ Hayward was called into action to make a fantastic double save which included palming a Needham shot onto the bar and then saving at the feet of the oncoming striker. With only 4 minutes remaining Needham forced a corner which resulted in the ball being flicked on by the ‘Jolly Needham Giant’ to the back post for the ball to be tapped over the line at the far post by the forward who couldn’t believe his good fortune.

This is a game that Wanderers should have really won with the good chances that they created. However a point on the last day of the season was better than none and it made for a more fun atmosphere in the clubhouse after the match than in previous weeks when we have returned with nothing.

Ipswich Wanderers Reserves 1 Needham Market Reserves 1

This has been a challenging season for the reserve squad with many players coming in and playing at this higher level.  There have been some good performances, Diss and Clacton at home spring to mind but also some games where things haven’t gone so well.

However, this all bodes well for next season as the squad is relatively young (Ryan Owens aside) and this year can be used as a learning curve for next year’s assault on the league and cup competitions.  With several new additions expected and the experience gained during this campaign I’m sure Wanderers Reserves will endeavor to push for the top in 2006/7